Newsletter 16 07 25

I try to record and present sailing activity each week in an attempt to encourage members and anyone reading the weekly newsletter who is interested in sailing but not yet a member, that we have plenty going on and various classes of boat to choose from.  

In this week's 'Sailing Matters' 
- Racing Round-up
- The Star Classic Boat Challenge 

- Youth and Juniors
- Mirrors
- Training
- Introduction to Racing & Novice Handicap Racing
- Sailing Programme

- International Canoes

RACING ROUND-UP
Lake Racing
Solo, Laser & Illusions Tue 8/7/25
Approximately 27 x boats racing in a Force 3 to 4 NW. Always a good site on Tuesday night to see a good fleet of boats racing - makes you proud to be a member of an active sailing club. Someone else said that to me but I agree. 

Wednesday evening Handicap Racing 9/7/25
14 x boats approx in F2 to 3. A win for Stuart Dawson (Laser) in R1 and for John Carlin (Albacore) in R2
I must remember to check with the RO & Results team as we (Oliver Adams (8) and me - Mirror  63672 didnt apear in the results despite starting the R1 ! ) Julia Neale (2000) had two 2nds. (Picture from a previous Sunday when she won !)

DF95 Radio Sailing - Thursday afternoon 10/7/25
Usually about 6 x DF95s race on Thursday afternnoon 10 x races approx. I can't see any results posted for this week in review.
GP, Lightning and Junior/Youth  Team Racing - Coaching Thursday evening 10/7/25
12 x boats racing, 8 to 12 Juniors team race coaching.
Keiron & Nicci Inman continue their winning ways in the GPs with two wins and two wins for Judith Carter in the Lightnings.

We have a great tradition in team racing at WKSC and Mike Hartley is coaching young sailors on Thursday evenings usually in Fireflies.
Team racing advances skills in boat handling, knowledge of the rules, tactics and a whole lot more. Discipline and team work (obviously!) are essential. Once you have learnt to sail and have got into racing, team racing is a great way to move on in the sport. Not available in many clubs but it is at West Kirby SC.

Optimists and Fevas Friday evening 11/7/25
The number of juniors racing on Fridays has been low recently but building. We are recruiting again ! There are nine juniors on a Saturday morning course; learning to sail.

TIDAL SAILING
Liz Potter reports further on, on the Star Classic Boat Challenge - Friday 12/7/25

Tidal Racing Sunday 13/7/25
A sea breeze filled in eventually but first we (both race officers and competitors) had to get our heads round  some very strange conditions; very little air movement from the south east but shifting about, filling and dying. At one point a Laser was approaching the leeward mark in 3 or 4 knots of wind with another laser not 100 metres away planing towards the same mark.  

The tidal classes, who started earlier than the dinghies labored upwind in the first race in very little wind but things improved when the sea breeze filled in. John and Vi Dowler (Star) and Jemima Chris and Nick Riley (Hilbre) recorded wins in both races. David Taylor, Martin and Cath Hartley  won the the first race and John Burthem and team won the second (Falcons).

Over on the dinghy course, Amdrew Potter (Phantom) won R1 and John Carlin (Albacore) wom R2. The results in R2 were a bit skewed by the windward mark drifting once the ebb got going .... those with GPS trackers were pleased to confirm what the Mk1 eyeball saw. 

Star Class Inter-Club Classic Boat Challenge at West Kirby Sailing Club
On the hottest day of the year, some of the hottest sailors came to the hottest sailing club at West Kirby to contest the Star classic boat challenge.

Sailors travelled from Trearddur Bay Sailing Club in Anglesey, the Royal Mersey Yacht Club, Wallasey Yacht club and Hoylake Sailing Club to race against the home West Kirby Sailing Club team on the sparkling waters of the Dee estuary.

The day started with coffee, cakes, the boat draw and a briefing. The crews were introduced to their pilots; the knowledgeable boat owners, who would be on board to assist with rigging and technical matters.

The Hoylake team, helm Adam Lloyd and crew Gavin Melling, were allocated Star #7, Vega, with pilot Clare Booth. #13 Orion went to the Wallasey team, helmed by Phil Baines, crewed by Mark Cooper, with pilot Rupert Wilcox. Incidentally, this boat was competed in two years ago by Rupert's 94 year old mother Pam, who came along to the prizegiving, still showing an interest in the class at age 96! From the Royal Mersey, helm Simon Shepherd and crew Julie Dawling got #11 Mars, piloted by Jane Sclater. #1 Juno was piloted by John Dowler and went to Trearddur Bay for helm Philip Barnes and Isobel Sandown.

The West Kirby host team was helm Andrew Potter and crew Garry Davies, who drew #8 Sirius, piloted by Dave Fitzhenry.

A flat calm greeted the visitors as they walked across the estuary sands to rig and await the tidal waters. Race Officer Chris Riley and Assistant Tony Dangerfield put up the postponement flag, leaving the boats bobbing on the moorings until the gentle sea breeze filled in. After a short delay, the boats amassed on the start line and a course was set for a downwind start, using the incoming tide to assist the boats to the first mark by the Caldy cliffs.The Trearddurites in Juno got away to establish a clear lead, which was never contested. The following Star cluster of Vega, Orion and Sirius battled out the run, with boards up and Red kites filling in the gentle breeze. On Sirius, in a starry-eyed moment at the mark rounding, someone failed to lower the centreboard, and the little boat skidded along to leeward quite happily up the next beat, with crew none the wiser. The fleet had split upwind, each helm gambling the trade off between unstable wind shifts and effects of the tide. Juno never looked back and extended her lead to the finish, followed some way behind by Vega and Orion. Sirius still hadn't spotted the lack of draught, but somehow stayed ahead of Mars, who finishing last.

By race two, the tide had slackened and the course changed direction, to start upwind. The fleet were very close for the first leg, apart from Sirius, who still hadn't lowered the centreboard. Named after the brightest star, 8.6 light years away from earth and also from winning a race with no keel.

Once again, Juno took the lead and went on to take the win from Vega, Orion and Mars.

The racing finished close to the moorings to allow the crews to get a lift back in the rescue ribs. many thanks again to the rescue craft crews who were presented with beers at the prizegiving. The competitors were treated to a fabulous lunch prepared by Helen Brown.

The winners of the event overall were Philip Barnes and Isobel Sandow. (Trearddur Bay SC). Philip was presented with the Star Helmsman's Trophy, dated from 1934 - a year younger than the winning boat! in second was Gavin Melling and Adam Lloyd (Hoylake SC), third was Phil Bains and Mark Cooper (Wallasey YC). In fourth, Simon Shepherd and Julie Dawling (Royal Mersey YC) and fifth WKSC's Andrew Potter and Garry Davies. 

Report by Liz Potter

Youth & Juniors
As mentioned above the recruitment drive is underway to get more children sailing. Recently we had a good bunch on the 'Tiddlers' course. The Saturday morning course has nine signed up. The Optimist and Feva  racing for the 'Y' Series concludes on this Friday evening coming. Though not in the sailing programme, Friday evening from the 25/7/25 throughout the summer holidays is Junior Race Night. This is open to Optimists, Fevas, Mirrors (anything as long as there is a Junior in the boat - but check with the Race Officer first). Prizes - overall on handicap. Class prizes for any class with 3 or more. Special prizes and/or awards for special people ! Adults don't count for anything in the world of junior sailing except as providers, sponsors, shore crew and race / rescue team. Parental volunteers urgently needed - contact the Sailing Sec.

Mirrors
More Mirrors are appearing all the time. The latest two to launch were Szymon Kosman and daughter Hannah on Wednesday 9/7/25 and Garry Price and daughter Amber on Saturday morning 12/7/25. Why Mirrors ? ...some may ask.... answer - a proven little boat in which mums, dads and children can sail togther but when the kids get cocky they can throw the adults out get another junior to crew and being lighter of course, they go faster. The Mirror is good in a breeze, out on the estuary as well as the lake, has a spinnaker adding to the skill factor required, can be rowed, will take an outboard motor and teaches proper maintenance as well .... even better is the fact that there are tens of thousands of them out there meaning that they can be obtained extremely economically. When you've got a Mirror you really never want part with it. Mirrors are either built of plywood (the original type and still available) or in glass fibre (low maintenance but considerably more expensive). Both types are welcome at WKSC.

Training
Check out the website for the training courses on offer. A recent addition is 1 to 1 training. This is becoming popular for those who have recently learnt to sail but need some help - maybe in certain conditions or to improve on sailing technique but at a suitably convenient time. This doesn't negate asking for help / advice from a fellow member but in a busy life sometimes its just worth paying an instructor for a couple of hours. Checkout the website for details.

The Introduction to Racing Course starts up again on Saturday 13/9/25. Suitable for anyone who can sail a dinghy round a triangular course. There's no charge for the course but if you plan to use a club boat a hire fee applies. The course runs throughout the autumn through to Christmas and we start again in February through to the start of the season. It is on every Saturday 10.00 to 12.00. If its on the water (lake) which it usually is, allow at least another hour off the water for debriefing and eating lunch in fellowship with other sufferers sailors. If the weather is unsuitable for going afloat there are training room sessions which finish at 12.00. 
Saturday 13/9/25 is for more explanation, Q&As and sign up.

Leading on from the course we have included 'Novice Handicp Races' in the Sailing Programme. This enables novice sailors to be part of the handicap racing on a Wednesday and Sunday without the worry of feelling intimidated by many boats on a start line and it allows for some on course coaching. Once confidence is obtained novices can join in with mainstream racing when ever they wish. 
 

COMING UP
SALING PROGRAMME 2026
I have started on the 2026 Sailing Programme. Any thoughts, comments or questions - please send to sailing@wksc.org.uk. 

International Canoe Europa Cup & British Natioanl Championships - Brixham YC
Good luck to Alistair Alston, Dan Skinner and Steve Fleming next week at Brixham. The championship starts on Monday 21/7/25. I shall be there as the unofficial WKSC IC Team Manager.   

Tony Marston  Sailing Secretary  

Greetings fellow learners, last Friday myself and my daughter had a terrific 2 hours of one to two training by Josh, in an Argo dinghy.We were lucky with the weather and wind direction and learnt a lot of additional skills, such as being in irons, and coming out of it, coming along side a mooring buoy, jibing and how to go on board, without falling in.
Thoroughly recommend the extra training.

Happy tacking,

Tim